


The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions.

by DementedEyeCandy69



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Anger, Charlie is a Good Dad, F/F, F/M, Fear, Gifts, Hurt, I don't wanna add too many and spoil things!, Jasper never attacked Bella, Kidnapping, Mates, Only 16, Pain, Scars, She was younger, Silence, Some Edward bashing, The Cullens are hurting too, The Cullens left after James, Vampires, true mate, whose the real enemy?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:42:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28949841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DementedEyeCandy69/pseuds/DementedEyeCandy69
Summary: What if...The Cullens left after James. As soon as Bella was all healed. What if six months after they leave, Bella is kidnapped. What if the Cullens returned to forks to help look for her, along with their cousins the Denali's? What if when they find her they find she is Kate's True Mate? What if Bella has been through so much trauma that she refuses to talk?Who took her? Where has she been for over a year? Will she forgive the cullens or does she hold a grudge? Will she accept Kate or damn her because of her connections to them? Will she have to choose between her family and her mate? Will Edward be able to accept the girl he loved and left isn't his true mate?
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Carlisle Cullen/Esme Cullen, Edward Cullen/Bella Swan, Emmett Cullen/Rosalie Hale, Garrett/Tanya (Twilight), Irina/Original Male, Kate/Bella Swan
Comments: 40
Kudos: 190





	1. Consequences.

**Author's Note:**

> This is mostly just a teaser chapter. Just to sort of fill you in a little on what is happening. I fiddled with the Idea of telling Bella's point of view but I figured the best way to go about it was to tell you what happened to her as she reveals it herself. I don't know where this idea came from but it popped into my head and wouldn't let me NOT write it. The rest of the story will be in Bella's point of view only although I may add in a different perspective occasionally. I haven't decided. UNEDITED SO MAY CONTAIN MISTAKES BUT I DON'T HAVE THE ENERGY TO CORRECT THEM RIGHT NOW - ILL UPDATE LATER xD

It has been a year and a half since the Cullen’s left. 788,923 minutes since Edward left Bella on the forest floor after telling her she was worthless. Nothing. Just a human. Nothing special. A distraction he had gotten bored of and then (his family having already left without a word,) followed his family to Denali, Alaska where their cousins resided. He had decided after Jame’s attack that Bella didn’t belong in their world despite his love for her and left soon after her cast was removed.

It has been eight months, 350,400 minutes since Isabella Swan was taken from her home while her father was at work. Not only was a home invasion in the small town of forks big news but an _abduction_ was even bigger. The lock on the door was broken, there was obvious signs of a struggle (a chair knocked over in the kitchen, broken glass, the living room table was knocked over and there were even spots of blood leading from the kitchen to the front door before they disappear) and aside from Isabella herself, nothing was missing. It became clear quite quickly that whoever had taken the 16 year old girl hadn’t done so in a “robbery gone wrong” situation.

It was premeditated. At first they assumed they would be calling Chief Swan for a ransom. Silly considering he didn’t exactly make big bucks as Chief of Police but he waited anxiously by the phone each day. He would do whatever it took to get his only daughter back. They had kept it in house for the first two months, determined that whoever took her _couldn’t_ have made it far without anyone noticing and the entire town plus Seattle PD and even the local “gang” of La Push out looking.

After that and many arguments with his ex wife who was positive their daughter was dead and wanted her body to bury (he wouldn’t give up that easily) Charlie had reached out to some of FBI contacts. Andrew Green was an old high school buddy of his, they had kept in touch over the years and he owed Charlie a favor. Not that he would collect, he had met Isabella when she was five and was devastated to hear what happened to the young girl who was so shy that she ran away giggling the minute he had said hello. (She had also tripped over her own feet before making it a few steps)

He was pretty high up in the FBI and used his own connections to put out a nation wide alert for the young brunette. Soon it seemed she was everywhere, fliers were hung around forks with words “ ** **HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL****?” the most recent picture that Renee had of Bella (taken only a few days before she left for Forks) and both Charlie Swan and Billy Blacks numbers in case Charlie was out searching and missed the call.

Between Charlie and Andrew they each had their fair share of contacts and because Police stick together, (mess with one of them or their family, and you mess with all of them,) many had volunteered to help search even in their off time.

TV coverage played on news stations, broadcasting an amber alert for sixteen year old Isabella Swan…and now? It has been six months. 252,974 minutes since the Cullen’s and Denali’s (on a rare day that Edward was with his family,) had found out about the missing brunette.

**_**Flashback:**_**

_Kate had been playing her video game all morning and Edward would be arriving soon so Tanya had forced her to shut it off. They would have be spending some much needed time as a family to try to cheer up their still hurting cousins. It was very clear for the Denali’s to see that while Edward believed he was doing the right thing for the human, every single one of the vampires in the family were hurting because of it, including himself. He had been adamant she wasn’t meant for their world and that she would move on and live a long happy human life this way._

_When he finally arrived he looked terrible. He clearly wasn’t feeding as often as he should have, his skin had a translucent look to it and even his eyes were sunken in. While this Isabella may not have been his True Mate, she was his chosen mate and he was taking the absence hard. They all were. They had all settled down, the only two unmated vampires in the room (Kate and Edward) sitting on the lone love seat while the others tried not to appear too affectionate. While Kate was used to waiting, and it didn’t hurt her as much as it once did to see happy mates surrounding them, they knew it was a slap in the face for the young Edward._

_Emmett was absently flipping through channels to find something they could all either watch or listen too when they saw it. Chief Swan on the national news and almost automatically the Cullens all stiffened. The Denali’s glancing at them curiously,_

_“It’s…” Emmett had hesitated unsure if saying her name would be appropriate right now,_

_“_ **_**her** _ ** _father,” Rosalie had finished for him with a comforting hand on his leg._

_The Denalis glanced uneasily at each other before focusing on the TV,_

**_**Good Evening, My name Is Charlie Swan and I am from the town of Forks Washington. It has been two months, since my daughter sixteen year old Isabella Swan,”** _ ** _they saw all the Cullens flinch at her name, “_ **_**has been missing.”** _ ** _There was an extremely tense silence as all the vampires in the room were suddenly hyper focused on the TV, “_ **_**While I was at work my house was broken into, nothing was stolen but my beautiful little girl was taken from me. I’m asking for your help. Her picture is in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. If you see her, please do not hesitate to call any of the numbers located on the bottom of the screen or contact your local authorities immediately. If you took her and are watching this, please bring my little girl back safely. I don’t know what it is you wanted or hoped to gain by taking her, but I am begging you. As a father, she’s my only daughter.”** _ ** _He had started to choke up, and they watched as he wiped a tear from his eye. “_ **_**If somehow you’re seeing this Bella, I won’t stop looking until I find you,”** _ **

_With that he walked off the screen very clearly crying the whole way. The TV was shut off although no one could have told you who had done it. No one moved, no one so much as breathed as the Denali’s waited for the Cullen's to process the situation._

_“No,” It was choked shocked gasp from a drowning man that broke the silence. “No,”_

_“Alice?” Carlisle asked his daughter with pain filled eyes, she was sobbing in Jasper’s shoulder but already knew what he would ask. Everyone waited on baited breathe while Alice searched the future, when she came out of her daze, she dropped to her knees._

_“I don’t see anything, it’s black.” She whimpered out, Jasper got down beside his wife and pushed love and reassurance into her to ease the pain and guilt she felt._

_“Enough Emmett,” Edward suddenly snapped staring his brother down,_

_“I’m right,” Emmett stated suddenly, black eyes not moving from Edwards own,_

_“Boys?” Esme asked, looking between the two of them,_

_“Emmett blames me.” Edward spoke between gritted teeth before he gasped, “You all blame me?”_

_“We didn’t -” Jasper started but was cut off,_

_“I can hear your thoughts remember?” Edward sneered at them,_

_“If we hadn’t of left -” Emmett started to practically yell at his brother before Esme cut them off surprising the room_

_“That’s enough! Blame won’t help us or Bella.” She snapped at them in the tone only a mother can use and both looked sufficiently chastised._

_“What do we do?” Rosalie asked, looking between Carlisle and Tanya, the two coven leaders. Carlisle sat up straight and took a deep breath,_

_“The Denali's do not have to be apart of this but we will return to Forks. We will help look for her, we have better senses and abilities between the seven of us -”_

_“Fourteen,” Tanya interrupted, “Of course we’re involved, you’re family.” She stated passionately, and each Denali nodded their head in agreement. The Cullen's shot them grateful looks,_

_“Okay between the fourteen of us we can look, see, smell and hear things the humans can not. We leave as soon as possible and we find my daughter,” Esme told the room and once again surprise was the biggest emotion. She hardly ever spoke up as Coven leader and she hardly even gave commands but they all knew what had happened to her when she had lost her human child once. It shouldn’t have been so surprising she didn’t wish to lose her human child again even if this one was not biological._

**_**End Flashback.** _ **

Upon returning to forks the Cullen’s and the Denali’s discovered the pack they had assumed had died out was now starting back up. The prominent members being Sam Uley, Seth Clearwater, Leah Clearwater, Jacob Black, and Paul Lahote. There was a lot of arguing in the beginning but eventually a sort of truce took hold, both sets of supernatural species agreeing it was in their best interest to try to get along at least until they found the human they were all searching for.

It has been a year and a half since the Cullen’s left. Eight months since Isabella Swan was abducted and six months since the Cullen’s (and their cousins) came back to search for. It has been one minute. Sixty seconds since Kate Denali found her. Bleeding in front of the sign welcoming you to forks. One minute since her golden eyes met those of chocolate brown. One minute since she realized what or rather who she had been missing in her thousand years of life. One minute since she found her true mate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright this chapter is in Kate's perspective which kind of just happened! I refer to bella as Isabella almost the entire chapter and her nickname is now a trigger! So I need to know what else to call her. I was going to use Izzy but Im using that in my other story...should that matter? You tell me! I had a lot of fun with this chapter, I loved writing Kate and Bella's interactions. Next time Edward and Alice arrive, what will happened then??  
> P.S. Moja Laska means my love!

They had been searching for six months and none of them were ready to give up even if some of them only expected to find a body. Kate was one of those people. She was a realist in the end and while she wasn’t rooting for the brunette to be harmed or dead, the odds weren’t in her favor.

The Cullens were busy blaming each other, and a lot of the blame settled on Edward where Kate thought it belonged. She felt for him, she had never even found a _chosen_ mate. You had to choose each other for that to happen but the bond can be broken even if it's one sided and she didn’t want to go through that with anyone. She had fallen in love once as a human and gotten her heart broken. She had no desire to do that to anyone or have anyone do that to her now. She would wait for her true mate…if they were even out there at this point.

They hadn’t searched many states, only one or two outside of Washington. The scent of a vampire was faint by the time they had arrived but very clear and everyone especially Tanya and Carlisle assumed the scene was staged for the humans. A vampire had taken the young brunette which strengthened most of their belief that she was dead or maybe even un-dead, not that they would stop looking or say it out loud.

Alice had mentioned repeatedly that she had over heard Edward tell Bella he would go to the Volturi if and when (since he didn’t plan on turning her) she died and so most of them were afraid of what would become of their family if they didn’t find the brunette in one piece. While Kate thought it was unlikely she hoped as well, not for Edward’s sake.

He seemed to think she would run into his arms like nothing happened and the Denali’s all hid scoffs when they had over heard that. Any self respecting woman who was abandoned by a man and his entire family should at the very least hold a grudge, no matter his excuse but none the less they were excited to see what kind of women Edward was attracted too. He had never shown any interest in her, not that she had shown any either but she was a sexy succubus.

She was hardly ever turned down or turned away and she wondered if Edward’s thoughts ever strayed to her or one of her sisters, despite them being mated. Tanya had found Garrett about two hundred years ago while they were visiting New Hampshire. He was a nomad and vowed to follow her anywhere. Kate was happy for her big sister.

Irina then found Tristan, he was a human at the time, but when they found him he had been involved in a mugging and been left for dead in an alley way. It was luck and happenstance that lead them to be in the right place and at the right time and Irina wouldn’t let him out of her sight for the first fifty years she was so horrified at the prospect that she had almost lost her mate.

Carmen and Eleazar had been married as humans and been lucky enough to be mated as vampires. Her Coven were sympathetic but she didn’t let it bother her. She would find her mate when her mate was ready for her. When her mate really needed her.

Tanya, Irina and Kate were all searching forks for what felt like the hundredth time, in case whoever had taken her returns or brings her back. While the others were in various places and states. The males of the Denali Coven and Carmen were back in Denali, the Cullens had insisted they didn’t need to uproot their entire Coven for their mistake.

She was just about near the “Welcome to forks” sign when she smelt it. Blood, and a lot of it. Some was fresh and some was old, mixed with dirt and sweat. She took a deeper breath to try to follow the scent and froze, underneath the scent of blood was the undeniable scent of fresh strawberries and vanilla. It assaulted her senses and every nerve ending of her body was on fire. Her instincts roared to life screaming in her mind.

 _Mate. Mine. Find. Protect. Mine_.

Her eyes now an onyx black she took off towards the smell of what was _hers._ Just on the other side of the sign was a half naked body laying on the asphalt. Cuts, and Blood littered her perfect pale skin (which was barely visible under all the dirt, mud and grime) Her long brown hair was matted with dirt and leaves, she was shaking slightly and goosebumps were broken out on her skin from where the soft rain drops dripping from the sky were hitting her bare skin. Kate had never seen anyone so beautiful.

She immediately skidded to her knees beside the girl and removed her jacket. Wrapping it around the shaking frame before she scooped her into her arms. She knew who it was immediately, the girl she had been looking for. The girl they had all been searching for. 

_Isabella._ Her beast purred in satisfaction at just the thought of the girls name. She was here, she was alive and in her arms. She cradled her against her chest, her head supported with one of her arms while the other was wrapped around her frail human body. 

She started to release a low soothing cooing noise that she had never heard a vampire make before, she wasn’t even aware she could produce such a sound. All she knew was her mate was injured and bleeding and she wanted to calm her erratic heart.   
  


Her beast seemed to roar in satisfaction when she felt her human relax against her as the cooing continued and she sucked in a sharp breath she didn’t need when she was suddenly locked in a staring match with deep chocolate brown eyes.   
  


“I won’t let anyone hurt you, you’re safe now.” Kate found herself mumbling to the human in her arms, her fingers rubbing soothing patterns on the skin of her humans back. Isabella's eyes seemed to be searching her own, looking for what? Sincerity? She wasn’t sure but she continued her cooing and allowed her face to be open and expressive. She could only imagine what emotions she was projecting.   
  


Shock, surely? Maybe, awe? Excitement? Protectiveness? Love? Longing? Maybe a mixture of it all, she wasn;t positive but the girl must have found what she was looking for because she seemed to grab Kates shirt in a white knuckle grip before closing her eyes. Kate didn’t speak, didn’t breath, didn’t so much as move.   
  
She wanted to check on her mate, assess the damage, ensure nothing was life threatening - a near silent snarl escaped her before she could stop it just at the thought that she could lose her mate now that she had found her - She tried to swallow her instincts and clear her mind but her instincts were on high alert, her beast too close to the surface. She had never felt so out of control. 

_Mate_. _Mine_. _Protect_. _Mine_.

The words on repeat in her mind. She had known mating instincts were intense, she had witnessed it multiple times but that was absolutely nothing compared to feeling it for yourself. She had to shake her head to clear the fog that separated her rational and irrational mind. She started to stand with her, finally realizing that she may need to get the girl medical attention and fighting through her instincts enough to allow her to do so when she froze.

Others were coming.. 

_**Threats. Must protect. Mate. Vulnerable. NO! Mine.**_   
  
She released a thunderous warning growl from deep in her chest, gripping the girl tighter against her, (thankfully her beast could never harm her mate and she never had to worry about using too much strength with her, hurting her would be hurting herself.) before tucking Isabella's head in her neck cradling it gently. It was a large contrast to how terrifying she must have looked and sounded at the moment. Half covered in blood and mud, cradling a half naked girl while growling with onyx black eyes.

As the foot steps got closer their scents were carried by the wind, Tanya and Irina. Her sisters.   
  


_**Threats.**_ Her beast insisted, snarling in protest when Kate tried to calm herself. Her sisters weren't threats. They would never harm or take her mate from her but her beast was unrelenting. Kate managed to lower the intensity of her growl but she couldn’t tamper it completely. Her mate was still injured and vulnerable with two vampires close by.

  
They stopped a few feet away and observed the scene. “You found her” Tanya exclaimed, both her and Irina looking at the scene curiously.

“She’s bleeding” Irina stated, but when Irina went to take a step forward Kate snarled in warning. Her beast was suddenly furious. Only _**SHE**_ should get the pleasure of smelling her mates blood! Only _**SHE**_ should get the privilege of relishing in the strawberries and vanilla that both soothed and excited her, no one else! Her snarls became louder, warning the vampires away from what was _**hers**_. 

“Katrina..” Tanya and Irina both took a half step back, with their hands up in front of them to show they were not a threat. They tilted their heads in a submissive gesture and Kate swallowed hard, she knew she had to get a grip. She had to explain what was going on before she hurt one of her sisters or a fight broke out and her little human was hurt. 

“It’s her Tanya,” she whispered through gritted teeth. Tanya's eyes widened immediately understanding the situation while Irina rolled her eyes, 

“We have eyes, we can see her,” She snarked, and Kate snarled in irritation.

“No rina, It’s HER.” She emphasized the word, “she’s my mate.” 

“Oh shit,” Irina exclaimed, OH shit was definitely right.   
  
“Okay Kate sweetie, I know you’re feeling so many things right now but we need to take her back to the house or the hospital and call the Cullens,” 

Kate snarled at the idea, glaring at Tanya. When her human started to whimper a little her focus was immediately back on the girl. "Hush darling, We'll get you all fixed up." The same cooing noise started back in her throat, her sisters all but forgotten. Her beasts only concern was to comfort her human. 

Tanya took hesitant slow steps towards her sister, motioning for Irina to stay back, “I know and they won’t be able to stand in the way of the two of you. She is your mate and our sister. You know we will back you but she may be seriously injured,” 

Kate stood with her human tucked safely into her arms, she leaned down and ran her nose gently across her hairline inhaling the soothing scent that let her know her mate was alive and then took off towards the Cullens house. She would fight the Cullens if she had too, no one would keep her from what she had waited over a thousand years for. 

* * *

She could hear Tanya and Irina trailing behind her but she paid them no mind, as soon as she reached the Cullen's house - her beast detested the very idea of them so close to her human, - she ran straight to the guest room and sat with her mate on the bed. Her mate was awake, she wasn't sure if the girl could hear or comprehend what was happening but she was going to keep talking to her anyway. 

"Tanya, could you get me a bowl of warm water, I want to get her cleaned off before we get her examined. I don't want any of these getting infected," She didn't need to see her to know both of her sisters were now gathering things to help their new human. Tanya walked into the room seconds later with a large bowl of water and a rag while Irina followed more slowly, having known exactly what it was like finding your human mate injured, and she carried alcohol and bandages. 

Kate went to put her human on the bed but the girl clutched her tighter and whimpered in pain, the sound cause Kate's undead heart to clench painfully in her chest and she looked helplessly up at her sisters with tears in her eyes that would never fall. 

"Isabella, I don't know if you can hear me but my name is Tanya." Tanya moved slowly towards the bed, making no sudden movements, it didn’t escape her notice that Kate watched her every step. Every move. Her mate had never been human, but she had remembered how often Irina had almost attacked any member of her Coven when they had found young Tristan.

A subtle small nod was all they received as an answer, but they took it as a win. “My sister, Kate is the one holding you right now. She can either continue to hold you while myself and my sister Irina clean you up or we can leave while she does it herself. Which would you prefer little one?”

She didn’t answer, but she did pull herself closer to Kate, closing the already very little space between the two of them. Tanya rolled her eyes when Kate’s face turned smug at her mates clear unwillingness to let her go.

“Okay, that’s perfectly fine.” She assured the brunette, “Irina is going to slowly walk over here and we are gong to first remove the Jacket that Kate wrapped around you, is that alright?” Tanya had dealt with trauma before. They had no way of knowing, until the girl herself was ready to talk, what she had been through, so they didn’t want to move too fast or push her. Everything had to be at her speed, her pace, and absolutely with her okay. Another small nod before the girl tucked her face into Kate’s neck and allowed the jacket to be pulled off.

Kate having picked up on what her sister was doing, took over for her. “Alright, _Moja Laska,_ Tanya and Irina are now going to start wiping you down with warm water, okay?” The girl started to tremble slightly but she nodded none the less, “Good, you are doing so good and I am so proud of you.” Kate whispered in her ear sensing her unease and she felt the small smile against her neck. Was it possible the girl felt the mating bond? Her heart soared with love for the girl at the idea.

Tanya and Irina both moved slowly, knowing that they didn’t want to upset Kate or Isabella. Especially not Bella, Kate was showing amazing control over her beast with two vampires - mated or not, - so close to her injured mate, if they hurt her or upset her in any way that control will slip and fast.

They started to remove the mud, blood and dirt from her back first. It was easier for them to access it without moving the scared human but the more skin that was revealed the more horrified they became. Her back was scarred badly. Her otherwise pale skin marred. It looked as if the girl had been _lashed_ and _cut,_ but the most horrifying part were the obvious _bite marks_ on her sides. The human had been bitten repeatedly.

Kate could see as the wounds were revealed and had to fight every instinct in her telling her to take the girl and run, to leave with her mate and take her far away from everyone else. She swallowed the growls and snarls her beast wanted to release, and instead buried her face in her girls neck. Inhaling deep breaths of her sweet scent, reminding herself she was here with her. She was safe with her. It didn’t help the guilt though, she knew it was irrational but she felt like she should have been here to protect her mate.

“Alright they finished your back and we’re gonna move onto your legs alright?” Kate whispered in her ear and her human again nodded, she wondered why she hadn’t spoke but decided she would deal with that later. Now wasn’t the time. As they cleaned her legs, more cuts were revealed and to help control herself Kate put all her focus on her mate. She held her as tight as she could without crushing her and started to hum a lullaby that her mother had sang to her when she was a child. In mere minutes her mates heartbeat had slowed, her breathing had evened out and Kate was again elated her mate had enough trust in her to fall asleep.

She let her sisters finish with her legs and the back of her arms before she settled her gently on the bed, not removing the girls grip from her shirt, allowing her to still feel her. She settled her jacket close to Isabella’s head hoping her scent would help keep the girl calm and beamed when her human unconsciously buried her face in it. Irina chuckled at Kate,

“Was I this bad?” She teased her sister while Tanya left and returned seconds later with the water bowl changed once again,

“Worse,” Tanya chimed in while Kate growled playfully at both of her sisters,

“I had known it would be intense, I remember when Tanya found Garrett and you found Tristan but there is nothing compared to how it actually feels.” Kate whispered, brushing her fingers through matted brown hair.

“It is absolutely overwhelming but you’re handling it extremely well Katrina,” Tanya told her sister softly, "especially given the circumstances," while they moved onto the girls front legs and stomach. Her stomach just as her back was littered with lashes and bite marks.

“How is she still human?” Irina asked, tracing a finger around one of the cold marks on the otherwise warm skin, the girl shuddered softly at the feeling.

“They must have sucked the venom out before it could spread,” Kate whispered, “What are we going to do? The Cullens think she is theirs,” Both Kate and her beast detested the idea immensely,

“The Cullens love the girl but we don’t know how she feels about them. Besides keeping True Mates apart is illegal, they can’t get in between you and Isabella is clearly attached to you,” Tanya responded, motioning with her head to where the human was still clutching her shirt and her face was tucked into Kate’s jacket sighing contently after each deep breath.

“I won’t let them take her away from me,” Kate told her sister, looking straight into her eyes, “I’ll fight them if it comes to that.”

“And we will back you up,” Irina stated passionately while Tanya looked more hesitant,

“I would rather avoid a fight if we can, but if we have too then of course we will protect you and your mate Kate, she is part of our coven now.” Tanya spoke in her coven leader voice and Kate felt a weight fall off her shoulders that she didn’t know she was carrying.

The door downstairs was suddenly thrown open and the three Denali’s tensed. Rosalie, Emmett, Esme and Carlisle were here.

* * *

It was quiet for only a mere second before Tanya and Irina left to stop the Cullens from climbing the stairs and Kate was blurring around the room, taking a pair of her own sweatpants and a T-shirt, (that was a bit too long on the brunette) from her own suitcase and quickly dressing and then covering her sleeping mate. She had no life threatening or immediate wounds, most had even stopped bleeding once they were wiped off and cleaned so she slipped into bed next to her mate. She was a little hesitant to pull her into her arms but thankfully her human took the initiative. Even in her sleep she felt around until she found Kate and then laid practically on top of her.

A rather loud purr started from the blonde vampire and her human hummed in content before resuming her sleep once more. She kissed her head and began rubbing soothing patterns along her back before she focused on the conversation between her sisters and the Cullens.

“Kate found her outside of town, lying and bleeding in the mud. We brought her back here and cleaned her up but she is now asleep,”

“Is she alright? Is she hungry? Should we wake her? Can we see her?” A low warning growl came from Kate at the idea of any more vampires near her sleeping vulnerable mate, especially the ones who threatened her not yet established claim on the human.

“That’s not the best idea right now,” Irina spoke up moving to block the stairway from the Cullen’s.

“What’s going on? What aren’t you saying?” Rosalie asked looking between the sisters curiously, “I may have never wanted a human to endanger my family but I would have never wished this on her,”

Tanya looked uneasily at Irina, “She’s Kate’s Mate.”

“What? But -” Esme started,

“I thought she was Edward’s mate,” Emmett started and his head snapped towards the guest bedroom when Kate released a snarl at the idea,

“She was his _chosen_ mate, She is Kate’s _true_ mate.” Tanya let that sink in, “We don’t wish for there to be any animosity between our covens, and we won’t stop the girl from seeing you should she wish too but you no longer hold any claim on her. Nor does Edward. As for Isabella, she hasn’t yet spoken but she is attached to Kate. She would hardly let her go when we were cleaning her off, but before Edward arrives I thought you’d like to know that so far we have observed she is covered in marks.”

“Marks?” Rosalie asked softly, visibly shaken.

Tanya nodded hesitantly, “Lots of them. Cuts, Lashes and Bites.”

“Bites as in -” Carlisle asked slowly,

“Vampire bites,” Tanya supplied, glancing at the motherly Cullen sympathetically when she began to sob against her husbands shoulder, “They seem to have sucked the venom out before it could change her but there is no telling what kind of pain she had endured before they did,”

No one spoke after that, the Cullens all clearly too shaken to form words. Each lost in their own thoughts. The main one? Why was she still alive? What was the point in taking her only to torture the poor girl and then bring her back? Edward, Alice and Jasper were on their way but none gave any indication that they were aware of what had transpired, not of the state of the girl or her new found mating status.

Tanya and Irina continued to stand at the bottom of the stairs to ensure no one made a move up the stairs, it was as much a move to protect Kate and Isabella as it was to protect the Cullen’s. If Kate’s beast thought her mate was threatened she could kill one of them before they could get her back in control of her protective instincts which were running on triple time.

No one could imagine what would happen the minute Edward entered the house.

* * *

It was six hours later, and no one had spoken a word. Kate was content holding her human mate who was softly snoring on her chest while everyone else was tense. Even Emmett the big fun vampire was too tense, too quiet. They heard the tell tale signs of a human heart picking up speed before the human they had all been waiting on gasped awake,

“It’s okay, it’s alright. It was just a dream,” Kate whispered to her mate and smiled when the girl seemed to collapse against her in relief.

“Are you hungry?” She asked her at the same time the girls stomach growled. Kate chuckled sitting up so the girl was practically straddling her waist, “Shall we go feed the human?”

Isabella tensed and latched onto her, “I won’t go anywhere, I’ll be right there with you the entire time, okay? I promise.”

Isabella looked up into her eyes, again as if judging the sincerity of her words, “You’re wearing my clothes after all, how could I get them back if I left now?” She made sure to keep her tone light and teasing to let her mate know she in no way cared that she was in her clothes. As a matter of fact, there was a certain level of satisfaction she felt that her mate was covered in her scent. It was the closest she could get to marking the girl.

Isabella suddenly smiled cheekily before shaking her head adamantly, “Are you saying I _cant_ have my clothes back?” Kate asked with a pout but her lips twitched at the corners when her mate giggled and shook her head again,

“Isabella,” She mock chastised her mate, and chuckled at the innocent grin sent her way before the girls stomach rumbled once again, “Alright, anything you want in particular?”

And just like that the teasing atmosphere was gone, her mate looked down at the covers and wouldn’t meet her eyes, “What’s the matter, darling?” She asked but got no response, she gently lifted the girls chin and the wiped the lone tear running down the brunette’s face with her thumb.

“It’s talking, right? You don’t want to talk?” When brown eyes snapped to gold almost in disbelief that she understood her so well, Kate smiled gently at her mate. On some level she could feel a lot of what the girl felt, it was part of their bond and it was helping her immensely.

“You don’t have to say a word, little one. I think I’ve done a pretty good job at reading your face up until this point, no?” Isabella smiled a shy smile in her direction before a knock on the door interrupted them, her mate tensed and looked at her with wide panicked eyes.

“It’s just Tanya, remember her? She’s my sister. She helped clean you off when we got you here earlier, along with my sister Irina?” The girl nodded once and then looked at her curiously,

“I’m going to let her come in now, okay?” Isabella wrapped her arms further around Kate before burying her face in the crook of her neck, taking a deep inhale of her scent before nodding.

“Good girl, you’re doing so well.” She whispered to the human, remembering the human seemed to enjoy the encouragement and was rewarded with another smile she could feel against her skin. “you can come in Tanya,” She spoke loud enough for Isabella to hear her.

“I brought you a glass of water, I just wanted to check on you a Bella,” The girl flinched violently at the nickname and Tanya back tracked, “Sorry, Isabella.”

“Do you wanna take the glass from Tanya? She won’t hurt you.” She whispered to the girl, running her fingers up and down her spine.

“Tell her we are here already,” She heard Emmett practically demand and snarled a warning at the boy. She understood he was impatient to see her but she was her mate and the girl would not be rushed or forced into anything.

She clearly heard the snarl cause she pulled back slightly and looked at Kate with an obvious question in her eyes, it was near impossible for her to lie to her mate, not that she ever would so she sighed before smiling at her softly, “How about you take that glass of water from Tanya and drink it for me and then I’ll tell you what that was about?”

Isabella nodded once satisfied with the compromise before slowly reaching out to take the glass from the strawberry blonde vampire who made sure to smile welcomingly at her and not move a muscle, the brunette kept glancing back to make sure that Kate was there and as soon as she had the glass in her hand she practically threw her self back against the blonde vampire who chuckled along with her sister.

The mirth was replaced with adoration when the girl looked up at her with obvious pride at her own actions in her eyes, “You did wonderful,” She told her kissing her cheek softly, the girls heart beat picked up at the gesture and she blushed a little but she didn’t show any aversion to the kiss, It was a good step in Kate’s eyes.

Isabella drank the water quickly, obviously the girl did not know how thirsty she was, before she seemed to hesitate with the empty glass in her hand, “Would you like some more?” Tanya offered, smiling when the girl squared her shoulders and (after gripping the top of Kate’s shirt) turned to Tanya and smiled gently and gratefully with it stretched out,

“I’ll be right back,” She told the human before leaving at a human pace.

When Isabella looked at her in a clear “your turn” gesture she sighed once more, “Some of the Cullen’s are here and want to see you,”

The girl had flinched _violently_ at their name, almost as hard as she had at her own preferred nickname (used to be preferred nickname) and Kate could taste her distress and fear in the air. Tanya and Irina entered the room almost immediately, watching their new human sister have a near break down at the mention of their cousins.

When Isabella started to hug herself around her middle and Kate looked at Tanya, Tanya shook her head and motioned to Isabella. Kate would have to be the one to calm her and she shouldn’t question her instincts on doing so. Kate’s instincts were screaming at her to destroy whatever had caused her mate’s fear but she pushed them away gathering the girl in her arms.

Tanya and Irina made sure to stay close to the door, they could hear the Cullens on the other side and knew that they wanted to come in and check on her, even Rosalie, but they wouldn’t let anyone near the girl until she was calm and gave them permission to do so.

“Look at me, Isa.” Kate spoke low and soothingly, cupping the girls cheeks. “deep breaths for me darling,” She cooed at her mate, “No one is going to harm you. I would never let anyone hurt you,”

It worked a little, the girl had gotten her breathing under control but the smell of fear was still radiating off her, “Did you know I was a warrior?” It was a rhetorical question but it got the girls attention, Kate nodded at the look the girl sent her, “Yep,” She popped the ‘P’ “And I was pretty damn good at it,”

Irina hid a scoff and leaned into Tanya whispering too low for the human to hear, “Since when is Kate so modest?” Tanya smirked and zipped her lips when Kate flipped them off to fast for the human to see.

“I don’t actually know what year I was born, it’s been so long. Sometime in the early 1000s is all I know for sure. When Tanya and our mother, Sasha -” Tanya and Irina were shocked that Kate voluntarily brought up Sasha, out of all of them it hit Tanya the hardest but Kate absolutely refused to ever talk about her, “- found me I was a bodyguard for a highborn female of our tribe. I was trained in martial arts and the most skilled with a sword, I was also exceptionally protective of her. She was young and she was put in a position she wasn’t ready for, but such was the ways back then, age hardly mattered in anything.”

Isabella was looking at her with rapt attention now, “I was guarding her on a caravan when Tanya and our Mother attacked it.” She huffed clearly a little annoyed at that idea even now, “I had no idea what they were at the time, but I fought to defend my charge. Sasha was impressed with my skills with a sword, my bravery, courage and determination to protect the human in my care despite standing absolutely no chance and it didn’t hurt that I looked similar to Tanya,” She winked at her sister who rolled her eyes, Isabella seemed to look between the three Denali sisters before shrugging with a nod, it was a clear ‘I can see it’ gesture. “She decided instead of killing me she would change me and the rest is history.”

“The point is that I fought vampires to protect a girl when I stood no chance, I will absolutely fight vampires to protect you and destroy anyone who dares to harm you.” She watched her mates face carefully, the girl seemed reassured by her words and Kate released all the air in her lungs.

“We are going to have to leave this room eventually, it would be best to get you checked out by a trained medical professional and your father has been looking for you everywhere,” Tanya spoke up gently, moving to kneel beside the bed handing the girl the water once again. Irina copied her movements.

“We could also get you a notebook or a dry erase board, so you can communicate without having to speak,” Irina spoke up looking thoughtful,

Isabella looked at them with a small grateful smile before looking at Kate again, “You may not understand why just yet, but you are very important to our coven, _moja laska.”_

When the girl looked at her in clear question wondering what the word meant, Kate simply chuckled, “I’ll tell you sometime, now drink your water and then I'll have rina bring you something to eat." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING. TORTURE AND RAPE. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!  
> Italics are Isabella "talking" in their heads.  
> Bold and Italics are the flashback!  
> The lines are essentially time breaks, this is not in any specific order. It is her entire time in captivity. While it may seem like things are happening quickly, it is months to Bella.

As soon as Isa had finished her second glass of water she had looked to Kate, almost like she was hoping she had pleased her and Kate wasted no time assuring the girl she had.

“Thank you, darling.” She whispered in her ear, handing the glass to Tanya. “Now how about we try some food, yes?”

She watched as her mate swallowed hard, and looked up at her with determination in her eyes… _I wouldn’t mind something light, I’m not sure my stomach can handle very much._

It had startled Kate so much she had jumped and was rewarded with a gentle laugh from her mate, who was watching her with an amused expression.

“Was that you, darling?” She asked her, although she knew the answer. Her sisters were looking between the two of them and they were obviously confused.

Isa nodded and then broke eye contact but Kate brought her chin up so she could look into her favorite pair of chocolate eyes.

“Can you do it again?” She asked and her mate nodded once again,

“Care to fill the rest of us in?” Irina asked ignoring the jab to the ribs from Tanya.

_I am not comfortable talking aloud but this is how we can communicate if it is acceptable._

The tone she used was respectful, cautious as she projected her thoughts to the three Denali sisters who were looking at her in shock. Humans weren’t supposed to have access to gifts, and definitely not one as developed as this. To be able to project to all three of them simultaneously with no strain on her end…what had they done to her?

“You weren’t allowed to talk?” Irina asked, “you don’t have to answer if you don’t want.” She hurried to reassure at the look Kate shot her.

_There are many things I was not allowed to do._

She didn’t say anything else but Kate could feel the tension in her muscles. She reached forward slowly, allowing her mate plenty of time to pull away and was elated when Isa allowed her embrace. She stuck her hand under the shirt she had put on her and began tracing patterns along her skin with her finger tips, taking deep breaths of her mates calming scent.

"Would you like to eat in here or in the kitchen? I won’t let anyone bother you baby,” Kate told her, knowing the Cullen’s were in the living room waiting to see the girl.

 _Kitchen, please._

Kate knew her mate was pushing herself past the limits she was truly comfortable with but she allowed it for now. If it progressed too far she would bring the girl back to the room herself. She picked her up bridal style, unwilling to put the girl down. Isabella didn’t seem to mind, she wrapped her arms around Kate’s neck and closed her eyes. Kate assumed she didn’t want to see the Cullen’s.

Tanya went first, followed by the newly mated pair and Irina close behind, as they made their way down the stairs Kate attempted to pass all the caution she felt onto her cousins, they were sitting on the couch facing the direction of the stairs and they all looked rather strained as they looked at the girl in her arms.

“Alright darling, we are at the bottom of the stairs now. Do you wish to walk?” She asked her mate and was unable to hide her smile when Isa held her tighter. She was incredibly smug about it, and she wasted no time allowing the Cullen’s the chance to see that.

She continued on to the Kitchen, glad that they hadn’t followed and sat down on one of the seats with her mate in her lap. Tanya and Irina began to look around for something light the girl could attempt to eat. Isabella had opened her eyes when they sat down and was watching as Tanya made some oatmeal and Irina cut up apple slices.

When Irina had finished she had placed the small plate in front of the human with a warm smile. It surprised her when Isabella shot her hand out and grabbed her own,

 _Thank you._

The amount of gratitude she felt for such a small and simple action caused an ache in her chest but she tried to hide her reaction from the girl, “Of course little one,” Irina told her, pushing some hair behind her ear before she moved off to the side and grabbed a glass. “Would you like some milk or juice?”

Isa had hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of options before looking at Kate, who understood immediately what she was being asked.

“You don’t need my permission for anything darling, you can have whatever you wish.” A furrow had formed in the girls brow when Kate had started and she looked between the three sisters with obvious confusion.

_I don’t understand._

“Isabella you are in control here,” Tanya told her, placing the oatmeal in front of her. “You don’t have to do or say anything you don’t want to do. You can make your own decisions, no one will decide for you.”

 _But.._

Kate was shaking her head before the human could finish, “No buts, you are free here, Isa.”

She watched as the human seemed to be lost in thought and it was the only time she would ever wish for Edward’s ability. She was chewing absently on an apple slice and thinking incredibly hard before she looked to Irina.

_I would like some milk, please._

She tensed after like it was a trick, a trap. Like she expected repercussions,

“Of course Isa,” Irina quickly picked up the nickname before turning to pour some milk in a glass for her new sister.

“You did so good baby,” Kate immediately praised her mate, ensuring she allowed her to see how genuine she was being.

“Can I see her?” A voice asked tentatively from the door way speaking too low for the human to hear. Kate was surprised Rosalie would ask, she wasn’t aware they had gotten along.

“Rosalie would like to come in, is that okay?” Kate asked slowly, cautiously and when she received no outward terror she waited for her mate to give her an answer.

_You can come in._

Kate appreciated her mate was allowing her to hear the conversation but was concerned, how many people could she safely project too?

“Was that -” Rosalie sounded shocked and it caused Kate to chuckle,

“Yes it was,” before adding, “only you,” knowing the others wished to come as well but weren’t given any kind of permission from her mate.

“Hi, B-” she cut herself off quickly, “Isa,” Rosalie corrected hoping the human hadn’t noticed her almost slip,

 _Hi rose._ Her mate was looking at the blonde curiously, but with a gentle smile on her lips.

Rosalie seemed to hesitate like she was caught and wasn’t sure what to say before she ran a hand through her hair and looked Isa directly in the eyes, “I’m sorry,”

Isa for her part looked even more confused, her head was tilted sideways and she was regarding Rosalie with genuine confusion in her eyes.

“I was never very nice to you, I know that and…I mean it’s a trigger for me. Humanity..” Isa shook her head rapidly and Rosalie stopped talking to look at the human in Kate’s lap.

_I understand. You were trying to protect me, and protect your family. I don’t blame you for anything Rosalie. You don’t have to explain yourself or apologize to me. I was never upset or angry. I don’t hold any kind of grudge against you. In fact, I'm sorry I never listened to you._

Kate almost wanted to be angry, she had wanted her mate to be angry, to reject the Cullen’s. The only people in the world who threatened her claim but it was the way her mate had said ‘against you’ that gave her pause. Apparently she wasn’t the only one that caught on.

"Against me personally or against…?” Rosalie didn’t know if mentioning her family was the smartest move, she had heard the girls reaction and didn’t want to cause her any distress.

Isa shifted in Kate’s lap, her hand coming up and gripping her shirt in a tight grip. Kate realized it was something Isa did whenever she wanted to be sure Kate was there, to offer her strength.

_I don’t hold a grudge against you Rosalie. I never have and never will. I hope you and I can become friends, maybe?_

It was smart how she avoided the topic of the others while still reassuring the blonde that they were okay. She was rewarded with the first genuine smile she had ever received from the blonde.

“I’d like that.” Rosalie told her, but then looked torn, “Isa, I know that I can’t know what you’ve been through. I can’t even know how you are feeling about any of it but… can you try not to be so hard on them? They missed you,”

Isa had straightened immediately when the conversation had turned, her eyes turning hard and distant. It was clear while she wasn’t angry at the blonde she held unresolved feelings for the others. Kate just hoped that none of them were for feelings of love for Edward.

Rosalie left when it was clear Isa wasn’t going to answer, and returned to a sulking Emmett and a solemn looking Esme and Carlisle. While she was glad she was now on even ground with the brunette, she had a feeling her family wouldn’t get off so easy.

Kate watched as her mate finished her food in silence and couldn’t resist asking, “What are you thinking about?”

Isa paused mid bite and looked at Kate with a smile, _I’m thinking about how safe I feel with you, how comfortable. I don’t want to leave you…to be away from you or to stop touching you…why is that?_

The question had caught the attention of her sisters and she realized Isa was still letting them hear her thoughts as well, Kate bit her lip and didn’t miss the way her mates eyes dropped to watch the action, “I’m not sure if now is the right time to answer that question or not,”

She was being honest, she didn’t know when to tell her. She didn’t want to push her, or rush her. She didn’t want to make her feel pressured. She didn’t know if her mate still believed she belonged to the Cullen boy and what feelings still remained between them. It was clear that she felt the pull to Kate but how strong was it.

 _Are you my mate?_ It was asked gently, almost like she was afraid of rejection and Kate rushed to assure her.

“I am, but it doesn’t have to -” She was cut off by a pair of soft warm lips on her own. It was a small kiss. A chaste kiss but it felt like Kate’s heart would burst out of her chest. When her mate pulled back looking extremely shy all of a sudden, Kate couldn’t help the beaming smile that lit up her face. The shy one she got in return didn’t diminish how happy she was in that moment.

The happiness seemed to only last seconds before she sensed them. Alice, Jasper and Edward were almost here. She pulled her mate against her, her eyes immediately darkening and a warning growl bursting from her chest. She heard her sisters move to flank them, while the Cullens were rearranging themselves strategically between the Denali’s and the new comers. Kate didn’t want to frighten her mate, so she squeezed her eyes shut to try to get them to return to normal. To try to get control over herself once again when a warm hand against her cold cheek caused her eyes to snap open.

_What’s wrong?_

Her mate didn’t look scared, just concerned and she tried to reassure her but she was sure she failed. They were coming up the driveway now and her growl became louder. Isa didn’t shy away from her like she feared she would. Instead she pulled her hair away from her neck and tipped her head offering it to her. It shocked Kate into silence and even Irina and Tanya were watching with wide eyes. Kate was slow to move, waiting for her mate to hesitate or pull away or change her mind but instead a small hand was threaded through her long blonde hair before it was cupping the back of her neck and pulling her forward.

She could have resisted, the human wasn’t strong enough to actually pull her but she moved with her mate, allowing the girl to pull her face into her neck and she took her skin gently between her teeth, careful not to break it and sucked. Marking her human mate for the world to see. Isabella released a small breathy moan at the sensation and Kate preened with satisfaction that her mate was willing to calm her, to bear her mark, to submit to her.

She pulled away, panting slightly, her body thrumming with desire and looked into her mates hooded eyes.

 _Better?_ It was easy to hear the teasing tone and she chuckled seductively smelling her mates arousal,

“For now,” She admitted, it wouldn’t keep her calm for long. Especially not if Edward tried anything.

She tensed when she heard the door open,

“Where is she?!” Edward asked immediately, she couldn’t see him but she could hear him.

“Son -” Carlisle tried but Edward interrupted him.

“I have to see my mate Carlisle,” Edward’s voice was desperate but it brought no sympathy from Kate, he had called her his mate. He had called her his. She released an enraged snarl at the mere thought, and Irina and Tanya moved closer to the two of them. Isa hadn’t looked away from her face, but she looked like she understood. A conversation was happening and she just couldn’t hear it. She wasn’t upset about that in the least. She just buried her face in Kate’s neck and waited patiently.

There was a slight shuffle and before anyone else moved Kate was outside crouched in front of her mate with Tanya standing in front of them both. Irina had her arms wrapped loosely around Isabella with her back pressed to her front but the girl didn’t seem to mind.

“Let me through!” They heard Edward yell loud enough for the girl and paid close attention to her reaction, she turned in Irina’s arms closing her eyes and her small hands were gripping her cold arms, slowly she pulled the human close until her head was tucked under her chin.

“She doesn’t wish to see you,” Kate snarled as Edward, Alice and the rest of the Cullen's made their way out to the side of the house. Tanya’s stance seemed relaxed but you could see the tension in her shoulders or the slight narrowing of her eyes.

“She’s my mate,” Edward snarled back, as Alice tried to move around Tanya to get to Isa but was held back by Jasper when Kate’s body shifted to stop her, although her eyes never left Edwards.

“You have no claim on the girl any longer, she is Kate’s _true_ mate.” Tanya spoke aloud, silently warning Edward in her head to back down. She didn’t wish to fight him but she would.

“Please, I just want to see her.” Alice pleaded looking between the Denali sisters, but at the sound of not only Edward’s voice but Alice’s Isa had brought her hands to her ears attempting to drown out the noise, when Irina realized she replaced her hands with the humans knowing hers would undoubtedly work better.

“Guy’s lets just -” Emmett tried but was ignored, Alice and Edward were not budging. Esme, Rosalie and Emmett were hanging back in the door way watching the scene while Carlisle stood beside Tanya.

“If she doesn’t wish to see us we cannot force her,” Carlisle spoke to Edward, “nor can you Alice,”

“But..” Alice trailed off looking with lost eyes to the girl she considered a sister,

“You will not take her from me!” Edward screamed at Kate, before he ran at her. Tanya crouched prepared to defend her sister and protect their human but before any of them could fight a blue dome was suddenly surrounding the Denali’s and Edward, who hadn’t realized it was there, smashed against it as if running into a concrete wall before he was thrown backwards and into the side of the house.

Everyone was staring at the dome with wide eyes, Tanya reached a hand out slowly to touch it and found it was just as solid on their end. Impenetrable.

“Where did it come from?” Emmett asked looking at it in awe.

It seemed like no one had an answer, none of them had such a power or at least had never had it before.

 _Is everyone okay?_

Only the Denali’s had heard it in their head, their eyes immediately snapping to the human cradled in Irina’s arms.

“Are you…?” Kate asked, but stopped when she realized her mate couldn’t hear her. She walked up to her and pulled her out of Irina’s arms, turning her to face her. “Is this you, darling?” She gestured to the dome. Isa nodded once, and then threw her arms around Kate’s neck.

 _I didn’t want you or Tanya to get hurt._

The declaration brought a soft smile to Tanya’s face, replacing the awe that was on it before but before Kate could reply she heard Edward pulling himself out of the debris and coming back. Kate immediately pulled the girl further into her arms.

“Bella, Bella please listen to me! I lied Bella!” Edward yelled out desperately, at the edge of the dome. His hands pressed flat against it. Everytime he said Bella she had flinched and Kate growled in warning,

“Stop calling her that,” Tanya commanded, “Isabella or Isa.”

Edward’s distaste was as plain as day on his face but he powered on, “Isa I’m sorry. I love you. We love you. I didn’t mean what I told you.”

“What did you tell her?” Emmett’s cold voice reached her ears and Edward flinched away from his gaze.

“I had too, she never would have moved on or let go.” He tried to defend himself,

“What did you say.” Alice hissed, she hadn’t seen what he had said to her. It was a snap decision.

“I told her she was a useless human, a game. That it was all a lie. That we neither loved nor cared about her, that she was a distraction and we would be better off without her. That she wasn’t good enough.” He avoided eye contact as he spoke. He didn’t see the way Esme was staring at Isabella in pain, or the way Emmett’s face was contorted in anger. He didn’t see how Carlisle looked disappointed in him, or Alice was barely controlling herself. He didn’t see how Jasper was struggling under the onslaught of emotions. Or how the two Denali’s had moved even closer to their human and sister at his admission.

“Not only did she spend months with god only knows what happening to her, but she spent that entire time thinking we didn’t care about her? That we wouldn’t even come _looking_ for her?” Rosalie growled toward Edward, surprising the three who weren’t there to hear the reunion between the blonde and brunette. “Don’t look at me like that, I’m the only one standing here that she’s actually spoken too and I am even more shocked that she could bother to do so if that is what you told her,”

“Isa,” Alice spoke slow, with a cautious glance at Kate who was watching them all with a snarl on her face. “Edward didn’t -” but that’s as far as she got. As soon as his name left her mouth Izzy had hit the ground, her legs giving out under her as a pained cry left her lips. She wailed, tears rapidly falling down her face as she panted unaware of the shocked looks from every vampire around her.

“Whats wrong with her?!” Kate yelled out looking to Jasper, who was clutching his own chest.

“Pain,” he gasped out, falling to his own knees under the onslaught of hers, “So much pain.” Alice ran to her mate, attempting to help him in anyway while Kate dropped to her own knees,

“Alice didn’t mean,” Emmett started but that only brought another scream of agony from the brunette, and bi-proxy Jasper, causing them all to flinch. 

“It’s the names. Don’t say the names!” Rosalie hissed in warning, moving towards the dome, “Isabella listen to me, listen to my voice. It’s okay. It’s alright. Kate, take off her shirt. Everyone turn around!”

When Kate looked at her doubtfully she powered on, “Take yours off too, skin on skin contact. It’ll help her, ground her. Hurry, do it now!”

In a split second both Kate and Isabella were shirtless with the human straddling Kate’s waist pressed tightly up against her, warm skin on cold skin. She was shaking, and tears were still falling but she no longer screamed. Kate took a shaky breath, ‘Thank you,” She mouthed to Rosalie who nodded but she looked just as shaken.

No one spoke while they waited for the human to calm, her heart was beating too fast. Her breathing too quick. Pain and fear were radiating off her. Kate was almost afraid to find out the reason for the breakdown, was it pain because she still loved Edward?

Kate had ensured her back was to the vampires so she could cover her mates modesty and scars, it would be her own choice if she allowed them to see them.

“Can you tell me what that was?” She whispered in her mate’s ear, running her fingers through her long hair and was disappointed when her mate shook her head no.

 _But I can show you._

She told them all, it was an offer. And she waited for their move.

“I want to see,” Kate told her, she didn’t. She was afraid to see but she would do this for her mate.

“Me as well,” Tanya bent down next to Kate and Irina followed. One by one the vampires declared their desire to see.

And Isabella while she didn’t look at any of the Cullen’s besides Rosalie spoke a whispered “I’m sorry” before she projected some of her memories into their mind.

* * *

(TRIGGER WARNING. DO NOT CONTINUE IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED.)

**_**Flashback:** _ **

**_**She woke with a jolt, sitting up straight as the days events caught up to her. She had been taken, kidnapped by Victoria and two vampires she hadn’t recognized. They had broken in, surprised her, and she could only hope that because her father wasn’t home, that he was okay. That they hadn’t stayed behind to hurt or kill him.** _ **

**_**She pulled her knees to her chest and tried not to shake while looking around, she was in a large room, it almost looked like a basement with gray walls and a concrete floor. Water was dripping form a pipe somewhere off in the far corner and there was a breeze coming through from under the door across the room. There were bars in front of her. Prison bars. She thought they were a little excessive, how would she even get away from vampires anyway? They could hear her and then catch her before she could take a step.** _ **

**_**It was cold, and her hoodie wasn’t offering her much protection so she pulled it tighter against her. What was she going to do? She wasn’t getting out of this alone and who would help her? She had no one who could. Her - no, they weren’t hers anymore. The vampires she had loved had lied. Her trust was given too easily and now she was paying the price, they wouldn’t come for her. They didn’t care.** _ **

**_**She was going to die, it was really that simple wasn’t it? Part of her wished they would get it over with, Victoria wasn’t going to be gentle about it. A tear fell down her cheek when she remembered the pain she endured with James’ attack. It would be like that, but worse. A mate for a mate, even if that mate was Chosen. She hadn’t understood what that meant at the time but she heard them talking. Now that she thought about it it was probably intentional, they could have spoken too low for her to hear but they didn’t.** _ **

**_**He had chosen her and then broken the bond between them, whatever that meant. It didn’t matter in the end, she was going to die and they’d find a new human to play with. A distraction he had called it. She wouldn’t spend her last minutes or hours or however much time she had left mourning the loss of people who had used her. She would pray to any god that would listen that Charlie was alive. That maybe he’d find her body, they’d be able to have a nice funeral and get closure that he deserved. That her friends and Jacob deserved. Jacob. She’d miss him. He had become so important to her in this time.** _ **

**_**Helping her, reminding her that she is more than what he said. That she isn’t worthless, that she’s worth something. That she deserves something, even if she can’t find it yet…now she never would. She had to believe he would be okay, even if Sam got to him. He was strong, and strangely beautiful and she couldn’t be there to protect him. She had broken her promise. Fuck. Did it count if she was kidnapped? She hoped not, it wasn’t on purpose. She hadn’t just abandoned him. She would never.** _ **

**_**“Awake, are we?” A voice spoke and it sent shivers of fear down her spine, she would never forget that voice.** _ **

**_**Victoria took a deep breath as she stepped into the room and then chuckled, “It’s always good when prey remembers their place.” She stepped further into the room before she knelt down in front of Bella, “I really am sorry to have to do this to you,” she didn’t sound sorry at all, “but you were the perfect candidate. Do you know how many vampires are interested in you now? You’re something of a legend,”** _ **

**_**She wanted to ask but she didn’t dare, so instead she bit her tongue, “Don’t be ashamed. It’s alright to ask, you might as well get all your questions out now. I can’t promise I’ll answer you but soon you’ll be too busy to have any rational thought left.”** _ **

**_**She didn’t like the sound of that but she swallowed and took a deep breath, “Legend?”** _ **

**_**‘The girl who lived,” She chuckled darkly, but there was pain in her eyes, “You are one of two who survived James’ five hundred years of life and the other was turned to protect her.” She stuck her finger through the bar and ran it slowly along Bella’s cheek and she froze, her breath catching in her throat. “But you? Here you sit, human. Beating heart. Protected by a coven of vampires.”** _ **

**_**She pulled up away laughing much louder than before, genuinely, “I mean you were protected by a coven of vampires. I was there you know? When he told you what he really thought of you? He was so busy tearing you down that he didn’t bother to sense me or maybe he knew the whole time and just didn’t care.” She shrugged carelessly before opening the bars, Bella pushed herself further against the wall.** _ **

**_**“Honestly I feel for you, I can’t tell you whether what he said or not was true but lets see? Mary Alice was a physic, was she not? Able to see the future, kept a close eye on you Im sure. Or maybe she didn’t since you were some kind of pet,”** _ **

**_**She flinched at the word but didn’t correct her, it was true. She had been a human pet for superior beings, while the reality of that stung she tried not to let it show. “So wouldn’t they see you’re gone? I don’t hear anyone coming to rescue you and we’ve had you for about a day now. Maybe they’ll come in time?”** _ **

**_**Was she trying to reassure her or hurt her more? Was this some kind of mental manipulation? Whatever it was she wouldn’t play along, “They wont be coming. You’re right, I was a pet and they left me on the side of the road when the novelty wore off.”** _ **

**_**“You know it doesn’t matter one way or another,” She suddenly said, popping down next to the human with her legs crossed at the ankles.** _ **

**_**“Because you’re going to kill me?” She was surprised her voice had came out so strong,** _ **

**_**“No my dear,” Victoria smirked at her, “Because when I’m through with you, you’ll wish I had.”** _ **

* * *

**_**They had kept her in that room for a week, she was dirty. She was freezing, but at least she couldn’t feel her hunger anymore. After awhile her stomach had just stopped hurting, she wasn’t sure if that was a positive sign anymore. Was she getting used to it? Was she finally dying? She didn’t have a bucket to use not that she thought she’d have anything to use if she did.** _ **

**_**It was 12 days later Victoria visited her again, and she is ashamed at how fast she had drank the bottle of water offered to her. She wanted to be stronger, to hold out, to die on her terms but apparently her will power was broken. He was right, she was weak. She tried to hold off on the food she offered, it wasn’t much.** _ **

**_**A piece of bread and an apple but she wanted to take some of the power she had given away back, even if it was an extremely small amount. She wasn’t sure why she was fighting, no one was coming to save her. She would suffer until she died and she wouldn’t die until Victoria was ready for that to happen.** _ **

**_**No one was coming for her. The words seemed to scream themselves in her head. She was alone and no one was coming. Not Alice, her...sister? No, obviously not. Not Esme, her mother? A joke. Not Emmett, her big brother? Not Carlisle, compassion must only go so far...She hadn’t been good enough in the end, He had said that hadn’t he? Was it what they all thought. She scoffed at herself, of course they did.** _ **

**_**That was what did it in the end, broke her will. She had no reason to fight, nothing to fight for. It was over. She could at least make it easier on herself. She ate the food and didn’t miss the smirk Victoria sent her way. She couldn’t meet her eye, she was filled with shame.** _ **

* * *

**_**It was three days later when they brought someone in the room, a man. A human man. He was young, maybe in his twenties or thirties and he was walking obediently with his head down. He didn’t look like her, he wasn’t dirty or hungry, so why was he here? What had they taken him for?** _ **

**_**He was walked into her cell, as she had taken to calling it and then the door was locked behind them. A bottle of water was offered to each of them with a granola bar and the outside door was shut.** _ **

**_**“I’m Andrew, but you can call me Andy” He told her chugging his own water, she eyed him warily before she took her own offerings, “It’s okay. They’re letting me explain the process to you.”** _ **

**_**“Process?” She asked between sips, she drank it slower. Not willing to rush through it. If she wasn’t as thirsty as she was she would save her water rations but she didn’t think it mattered, she’d die eventually. Right?** _ **

**_**“They have more humans than just us here,” At her horrified look he hurried to reassure her, “We aren’t food. Or at least some of us aren’t. As long as you listen, do as you’re told.”** _ **

**_**He was warning her, trying to help her. Could she trust him?** _ **

**_**“Vampires have gifts. They’ve always been the only ones. But they’ve figured out ways to unlock human potential. So we can access gifts as a human.” She was fascinated despite herself, hadn’t one of them told her that humans couldn’t tolerate gifts? “It’s a process. A painful one, but if you survive then you will have unlimited potential.”** _ **

**_**“Why?” She asked him, why bother? What were they going to be used for that they needed gifts and potential.** _ **

**_**“I’m not sure, Malik, he’s my mentor. He doesn’t share much of their plan, but I know the process. I help others, I’ve been here a while. About a year,” He quickly started counting on his fingers, “Yeah a year.”** _ **

**_**A year? She could be here for a year? “If you’re lucky you’ll survive the awakening process and then the hijacking and if you’re exceptionally lucky you’ll be turned into a vampire.”** _ **

**_**“Awakening? Hijacking?” Her voice had taken on a hint of hysteria and he hesitantly reached out for her hand, she let him. She hadn’t had any kind of human contact in…she was beginning to lose count of the days.** _ **

**_**“Awakening is the first step, it helps open your mind. Your body. Allows you to tap into things you couldn’t do before, whatever gift or gifts you will have. If any, will be unveiled then.”** _ **

**_**“Gifts?” She had thought vampires had one,** _ **

**_**“Vampires have one gift when turned, the venom in their systems focuses on one point in their body and enhances it. Their most dominant trait, for example if someone was extremely perceptive to emotions or really good at manipulating them….they’d be gifted with pathokinesis, essentially an empath.” She had known that already hadn't she? That sounded exactly like Jasper. “If someone was a strong human, they may be gifted with extra strength. Do you understand?” She nodded, she had known that too but fought the thought when his name tried to enter her mind. “With the awakening process…it focuses on multiple dominant traits. Multiple points of your personality and mind and allows you to tap into that unused potential. It creates the potential of multiple gifts, most humans who have survived here have two.'**_**

**_**She could understand that, but it didn’t answer her on why?** _ **

**_**“If you have gifts, you’ll work with Malik or Sylvia. If not…well,” He trailed off and she knew immediately, you die. You weren’t useful if you had nothing to offer them, she hoped desperately that she had nothing they found interesting or useful. That she was just a normal boring non gift having human.** _ **

**_**“The Hijacking is catered to each individual person. In the end it’s what is better to help the collective, but I don’t know what Victoria will choose to do with you. She has never mentored anyone before.” He seemed lost in thought for a moment, was that concern she saw in his eyes?** _ **

**_**He shook his head and the look passed before she could dwell on it, “Anyway, it’s hard. All of it is. Painful, but worth it. For those of us who survive anyway.”** _ **

**_**The sound of the door opening, caused him to immediately stand at attention and he shot her a look that told her to follow his lead. She didn’t want too, she wanted this to be over. She wanted to die, so was it some kind of latent survival instincts that had her following his lead despite herself? Weak. She was weak and she hated it.** _ **

**_**“Come Bella, it’s time for phase one.” Victoria roughly grabbed her arm and practically dragged her out of her cell and she wanted to roll her eyes. Like she wouldn’t have followed willingly. She was allowed a shower, finally, and was given a white tank top and a black pair of sweatpants to change into afterwards. She was freezing, she wasn’t given a towel and her arms wrapped around herself as Victoria yanked her through another door. She knew she was being rough on purpose. She just didn’t have the energy to be pissed off about it.** _ **

**_**She was laid on a table by Victoria and her arms and legs were strapped down, she didn’t struggle. She knew something bad was about to happen, and she could only hope Victoria would finally offer her the death she wanted.** _ **

**_**“It looks like you were right,” The red head sighed, her fingers running gently down Bella’s right arm. It was a stark contrast to the rough jerking she was doing before, “They aren’t coming for you.”** _ **

**_**She had known that, she knew she was alone. They didn’t care, weren’t coming but it caused an ache in her chest at the thought. She didn’t answer, she just sat there. Her heart started beating faster the more Victoria touched her.** _ **

**_**“This is going to hurt,” Was that a promise or a warning? “It’s going to hurt a lot.” Her tank top was ripped from her body and she wondered if that was the only reason she was given it. Her body naturally tried to shy away when Victoria began to run her nails down the front of her chest, and around her now bare breasts.** _ **

**_**The red head tutted at her, “Don’t be rude Isabella, I am an extremely desirable woman.”** _ **

**_**Well what the hell was she supposed to say to that? Sure the red head was beautiful but she was also a pyschopath who was about to start torturing her, and was mated to another pyschotic vampire who while now dead was also willing to torture her.** _ **

**_**“It’s going to hurt but I could always make you feel good first, extremely good.” It was a purr, and she was sure under normal circumstances it may have effected her but it had the opposite effect she assumed the vampire was going for. She didn’t want what she was offering. “I know, it’s unexpected but don’t you think it’s a shame to die so pure?” Her hand was at the waist band of her sweat pants now and she clamped her legs shut, she didn’t care if she died a virgin.** _ **

**_**“No, I don’t want this,” She gasped out, and a hand was suddenly wrapped around her throat. She could breath but it was tight, Victoria’s smirk was at the forefront of her sight and she squirmed away from her uselessly. Now she was fighting, squirming, trying to get away. She expected pain, she expected torture. She hadn’t expected this. This was too much for her. She squeezed her eyes shut when Victoria bent towards her. Their lips inches apart before she grazed warm soft lips with her cold hard ones.** _ **

**_**A choking sound came from her throat, she wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be a sob or a scream, or maybe a mixture of the two but she didn’t care. Victoria’s lips were moving past her own, across her cheek and to her ear where she could feel her unnecessary cold breaths against her ear, “You act like I was giving you an option,” and then her hand was shoved roughly between her legs.** _ **

**_**Eventually Victoria had let up pressure on her throat, so she could scream. So she could cry. So she could ask her to stop. Beg her to stop. But the red head would chuckle and laugh at her. She would tell her how her body was responding. Her traitorous body that seemed to spasm and jerk no matter how hard she tried to stop it. Her body that was reacting to the pain and pleasure she was receiving even if she was disgusted with herself because of it.** _ **

**_**Because she didn’t want this, she wanted her first time with someone she loved. Someone who loved her back. Someone she could spend her life with. Her mate, whoever that was. They had told her she had a true mate out there, a vampire with bonds was here and could see a thread that was tied to her heart but not complete. She hadn’t met them, whoever they were and now she couldn’t offer this part of herself to them.** _ **

**_**That was probably a stupid thought, she highly doubted as a vampire, that her mate had been celibate, she wouldn’t have asked them to nor did she wish that on anyone. Who knows how long they had lived, it wouldn’t have been fair to them but she wanted to offer that to them. A piece of her that no one else would ever have, except now it belonged to her captor. To her rapist. To her torturer. To her murderer.** _ **

**_**She couldn’t bring herself to scream anymore, what was the point? Instead she lay silently, crying to herself with her eyes closed as the red head took what she wanted from her.** _ **

**_**It went on for hours, or maybe days. She wasn’t sure she lost count of time. She had tried to detach her body as much as she could, detach her mind. It would be easier that way she told herself, she wondered if she was lying or if it was true. Was she damaged now? Would her mate even want her? No, probably not.** _ **

**_**Victoria had licked her blood and fluids off her fingers before leaving her there. Strapped to the table, she didn’t cry anymore. She had no more tears, she was numb. She was broken. She was stupid. Rosalie was right, three words she would never admit she had thought to anymore. She was right in every way. She shouldn’t have gotten involved with any of them.** _ **

**_**She shouldn’t have trusted them, she should have ran in the opposite direction as fast and as far as her human feet could take her, even if that wasn’t very far. If she ever got out of here, she’d find a way to tell the blonde that. Or maybe Rosalie would kill her, she’d prefer that to Victoria. At least it was a familiar face. She’d know what to expect. Rosalie would make it quick. She wasn’t as cold as she pretended to be. She just wanted to protect them, protect her. From her own stupidity.** _ **

**_**They came but didn’t take of off the table. She was sore and hurting, Victoria hadn’t been gentle and she hadn’t been ready for any kind of penetration, but she had gotten it despite her wishes. She wondered if she’d be able to walk. She didn’t have to wonder long, before the red head was back. She didn’t speak, barely even looked at her before she bent to her ribs and placed a soft kiss there that caused Bella to flinch before she bit down.** _ **

**_**Bella tried not to scream as a fire spread through her body, burning her inside out, but she couldn’t help it. The pain was terrible, awful, agonizing and she welcomed death if it meant that the burning would stop. She thrashed against her bonds as she tried to reach her throat, it felt like she had swallowed molten lava and she couldn’t spit it out. She wanted to claw at her own throat, her eyes, her chest, her stomach, everywhere the fire had spread. Make it stop! Get it out! She wasn’t sure if she was screaming it or thinking it but she didn’t care if that would make it go away. Her mind was scrambling, but no thoughts stuck. It was like watching a movie on reverse as memories seemed to slam into her. Memories that she didn’t want to see. Memories of the people who had abandoned her. Memories of the people who weren’t going to save her before another sharp bite and the fire receded.** _ **

**__ ** **_**She was sweating, panting, her heart was beating so fast she was sure it burst out of her chest, but she didn’t have time to relish in the peace before she was bitten again.** _ **

* * *

**_**She didn’t know how long she was there being bitten on and off, the venom being pushed into her before being sucked out and then pushed in again to repeat the process. It had taken her awhile to comprehend that was what was happening to her. It had taken her longer to realize it was only Victoria biting her despite the fact that it felt like hundreds of vampires were feeding from her simultaneously. She was sure she was covered in bites.** _ **

**_**They were taking a break, or maybe she was finished she wasn’t sure but she was falling asleep. Mental and physical exhaustion were all she could feel, before Ice cold water was suddenly thrown on her and she jerked away with a scream falling off the table she had previously been tied too. She couldn’t move from where she had fallen, even the rising and falling of her chest was like knives piercing her skin from different directions. Every inch of her hurt, every inch of her was throbbing, screaming, aching.** _ **

**_**“You’re stronger than he gave you credit for,” She heard the voice she was beginning to hate speak to her, “You were bitten countless times more than the others and somehow you’ve survived.”** _ **

**_**“K-K-Kill me,” she gasped out, she would beg for it. She didn’t want anymore of this. Please god no.** _ **

**_**“But we’re just getting started,” Was the last thing she heard before she passed out.** _ **

* * *

**_**She didn’t know how long passed, she didn’t know if she was dreaming or if this was real. Was she in some kind of purgatory? Hell? She wasn’t even sure what was real and what wasn’t anymore. She spent her days being bitten repeatedly by Victoria although the red head hadn't touched her again since the first day. She was grateful for that, she had already lost that part of herself. She could never get it back. Never offer it to her mate. Who she now knew was a woman. She wasn’t sure how Holly’s gift worked exactly but she was sure if she asked she’d know exactly who her mate was and how to find her.** _ **

**_**She wouldn’t ask, she’d never leave here, it would do no good for her to dwell on that. To have hope for that. Her mate would move on, she was sure. They hadn’t found her, so maybe they’d just assume she never existed. It would be better for who ever she was that way. In the end, She had five active powers, and Malik was positive she would develop no more. They were concerned how the activation would effect her. They had never encountered a human with so many, and that had taken the last of her hope for death. She was special now, they'd surely keep her. Except maybe not, Victoria didn’t seem to care about her powers or potential. Just inflicting as much pain as she could….thankfully she had only raped her twice and she wondered when she reached a point in her life where she could be thankful for something like that.** _ **

* * *

**_**When Malik had insisted shed have no more powers it was weeks of training, finding out what her power was and then learning how to use it. Most times it ended in a nose bleed. It was hard for her human body to fully grasp all the power she held but she had mastered two so far.** _ **

**_**She could project thoughts and pictures into anyone’s mind, as many people as she wanted, for as long as she wanted. It was hard in the beginning but compared to the torture she had endured it was a cake walk.** _ **

_**Her second power was something Malik had heard of but never seen, he called it mimicry. She could copy anyone’s powers, absorb it into herself. It didn’t steal the power, merely copied it. They weren’t sure how long she kept the power or if it was temporary but it was a useful power none the less. After they had worked with it for awhile she even found she could absorb strength. Malik figured with more practice her gift could transform into power transference, where she could transfer things to others although he wasn’t sure what limits that would hold.** _

**_**Her third power he calls reality warping, she can think of something and will it into existence. She was allowed to use that power while in her cell, so she could warp in her own food and water. Although she was only allowed to bring what Victoria allowed, what she specified and when she specified it.** _ **

**_**Her fourth power is humanity transference, she can take aspects of a human and gift it to a vampire. Although they aren’t sure how long the effects last. Malik enjoyed his first human meal in over three centuries.** _ **

**_**Finally she had her shield, it was mental at first. Which explained why he could never read her mind, but as she worked it, she was able to expand it beyond herself and protect not only herself but others. It was silly wasn’t it? That they all had these powers but none of them thought to escape, but they were vampires after all, what threat could they pose powered or not.** _ **

* * *

**_**After her training was finished, she had mastered or at least learned to control her gifts and her body was relatively healed Victoria came for her again, shew knew the next step was hijacking and she was terrified. She wasn’t allowed to use her gifts and after watching them beat a human to death who had dared to defy that rule she wouldn’t be stupid enough to try it. Although a large part of her wanted to die she assumed it was that annoying preservation instinct rearing it’s ugly head. Was there a reason that her body seemed to work against her when it came to dying? What did it know that she didn’t?** _ **

**_**She was again restrained but this time her feet were chained to the floor and her arms were restrained to the chains hanging from the ceiling.** _ **

**_**“I’ve thought a lot about how I want to do this,” As she spoke her hands were moving along Bella’s body and Bella felt bile rise in her throat. She had hoped that Victoria would lose her fascination with her body now that she wasn’t a virgin anymore but that didn’t seem to be the case.** _ **

**_**She must have seen her reaction because she chuckled before walking to the table in the corner of the room and picking up a manila folder, she opened it and extracted a single piece of paper or what Bella assumed was paper before she walked to the wall and taped it to it.** _ **

**_**“Carlisle Cullen,” She spoke as she backed away and revealed a picture of the infamous doctor. Bella stared with wide eyes, what did this mean?** _ **

**_**She didn’t ask, she knew better. Victoria was setting the stage and all she could do was watch.** _ **

**_**"** _ ** **_**Esme Cullen,” The name made her stomach clench, the motherly Cullen may not care about her but she hoped she was okay. Victoria couldn’t have gotten to them right? She had her, she didn’t need them!** _ **

**_**“Emmett Cullen,” She relaxed slightly, surely they couldn’t get Emmett. He was like the strongest vampire she had ever seen…unless they got Rosalie. Shit.** _ **

**_**“Alice Cullen,” Alice is a seer! How could they get her? Maybe they didn’t have them. Maybe this was just some kind of game. More fun vampire games for the humans. She hadn’t said Rosalie’s name so the blonde had to be safe right?** _ **

**_**“Edward Cullen,” She hadn’t said Jasper either, why not?** _ **

**_**She still didn’t speak. She wanted to scream, she wanted to yell and ask if they were okay and beg her to let them go if she had them. But she knew better, it would be worse if she made a fuss and in time she’d know what was happening.** _ **

**_**“They were your family,” She didn’t flinch, she had long stopped flinching at the mention of the betrayal. The sting had long since vanished, more intense pain replacing anything she may have thought she felt. Her feelings for the Cullens were confusing. She cared about them, she could admit that. It was who she was, they may have lied but she never did. Even so, she wanted nothing to do with them. But she wouldn’t wish them any harm. “They had used you. Left you. Lied to you.”** _ **

**_**That’s why she didn’t include Rosalie and Jasper, she must know they had never really been close. Jasper cause he didn’t wanna eat her and Rosalie because the blonde wanted her away from her family. She made another mental note to apologize to the blonde if she ever saw her again, she really was just a stupid human. Even if she wasn’t anymore. What was she now? An enhanced human?** _ **

**_**“You’ve been with me for months now Bella,” She flinched, Victoria had made it her mission to take her beloved nickname and turn it into pain. An expectation of pain to come. She now hated it. Which is why she used it, she knew that. It had only been months? It felt like longer, surely it was longer, “I know, all that you’ve been through must feel like it’s been forever to your tiny human brain.”** _ **

**_**“Months and your vampires,” she chuckled, “Sorry, the vampires you once associated with are no where to be found. I bet they’re just living their lives with another young human. What do you think?”** _ **

**_**It was a trick, she couldn’t answer. If she did it would be worse, and besides she didn’t think about it. She found she thought very little of them these days, she thought very little about anything but life and death and her bodies indecision on which it wanted more. She knew what Andy and Malik had told her, ‘live for your mate,’ but she didn’t know them. How could she live for someone she didn’t know? How could she live for someone who deserved better than her already?** _ **

**_**“Either way, you still care for them. Some part of you, even if its deep deep down in there buried under human anger or buried deep under the pain I’ve put you in so far.” She was suddenly before her, her hand lingering at the waist band of her sweat pants, “or the pleasure,” she purred in her ear bringing a growl of distaste from the brunette.** _ **

**_**It was entirely an accident, she wasn’t allowed to use her powers here and she wasn’t. She had somehow pulled that growl from within her on her own but Victoria didn’t seem to mind her slip up, in fact her eyes had darkened in desire.** _ **

**_**It hadn’t taken her long to realize the red head was an obsessive, and she had read a quote about them once, “If the obsessive cannot have the object they desire, they’ll choose to destroy it instead,” Somehow through all of her own dealings with the loss of james she had become fixated on and obsessed with Bella so much so that she desired her. She got off on inflicting pain, forcing submission, taking from her even when it isn’t willingly given. She’d stay this way until she got tired of her, bored of her, until her obsession or the fantasy of it that she had built in her mind dies down, and then she’d kill her.** _ **

**_**She hadn’t been paying attention and she knew she had fucked up when that desire turned to anger in a split second, her hair was wrenched backwards and her body was pulled against the hard one in front of her. “You’re mine now, Isabella.” Victoria growled at her, gripping her hair so tight she worried she would accidentally scalp her, while running a finger along her jaw gently. Her black eyes fixated on brown, their mouths were smashed together and tongue was forced into her mouth. She knew better than to fight back, than to bite or kick. It only ended with her own misery, so she stayed passive. Allowed her to take from her, squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the chains with her hands to ground her.** _ **

**_**Her shirt was once again ripped from her body and at this point she was wondering why she was ever given one when Victoria preferred her shirtless, She walked backwards admiring the brunette’s body that was now littered in her bites before she turned towards the pictures and took all down but one, Alice.** _ **

**_**“We’ll start with the small one,” She mused before returning to the table and coming back with a whip. “Ill ask the questions and you answer them, seems simple yes?”** _ **

**_**She knew it wasn’t, she didn’t want to answer any questions and she had a feeling she was going to be asked questions she wouldn’t know the answer too.** _ **

**_**“Where is she?” Bella’s mind stalled, she didn’t know where they were. Where she was.** _ **

**_**“I don’t know,” She whispered, knowing an answer was required and she lurched forward at the force of the whip against her back. She couldn’t hold back her scream, it wasn’t as intense as the pain of the bites but it was it’s own hell. She was panting by the time her body had returned to it’s original position.** _ **

**_**“That’s not an answer, where is she?”** _ **

**_**“I don’t know!” Another lashing, and another. Each brought a scream from the girl. She wanted to run, she wanted to leave. She wanted this to be over. This was unfair. She didn’t know where any of them were. How was she to know! They had left her!** _ **

**_**Another lash. They had fucking left!** _ **

**_**“They didn’t send me a fucking post card!” She screamed, she had tried to email Alice, or text her, or even call her but her number was changed. Her email deactivated. It will be like we never existed, he had said and he was right. They were gone. If it wasn’t for the vampire currently destroying her piece by piece she would assume she had dreamt the entire thing.** _ **

**_**“Because she left you!” The sound of the whip hitting her back was heard before her scream.** _ **

**_**“She didn’t care about you!” Another strike. Another scream.** _ **

**_**“She’s a monster who used you!” Another strike. Tears. Her mind couldn’t register anything anymore. Only pain, agony, anger. Blame.** _ **

**_**“Say it!” Another.** _ **

**_**“She’s a monster! I hate her! She left me here!” And the words just kept coming, the anger she hadn’t known she was feeling being released. Alice hadn’t came for her. Alice didn’t care. Alice hadn’t came. Alice didn’t come. Alice HAD LEFT!** _ **

**_**She could feel the whip hit her, as Victoria repeated Alice’s name like a mantra, one stroke, another. Each accompanied by the name Alice on her poisonous tongue. Alice was a monster. Alice was pain. Her brain made the connection easily. Some lashes fell in the same spot, splitting the skin open more than it was before. As the last stroke hit her bare skin, Victoria walked up and took the picture off the wall and Bella sagged in relief. No more Alice no more pain.** _ **

**_**Victoria brought a knife to her next and she repeated the process, repeating the name as she cut her skin. Shallow cuts, long cuts, short cuts, deep cuts. Nothing that would kill her, but she felt it all. It went on for hours, hours and all she felt was pain. Pain and anger. Pain and blame.** _ **

**__ ** **_**Relief came when the knife was removed from her skin and she heard Victoria move away from her,** _ **

**_**“Alice,” was spoken and she flinched, please no more.** _ **

**_**“Alice,” She flinched again. I can’t take it anymore.** _ **

**_**“Alice,” Her breathing picked up. Just kill me!** _ **

**__ ** **_**And then she lost consciousness.** _ **

* * *

**_**That went on for weeks, weeks of lashing and cuts with the short brunette’s name as a weapon. Questions she couldn’t answer, until she couldn’t hear it. Not the name without breaking down. Without feeling the pain she knew would come, even if it didn’t.** _ **

**_**Tori gave her no peace, no reprieve but she didn’t blame her. She was only doing what she needed o do. What she had to do. She moved through each of the golden eyed vampire as she had taken to calling them. She couldn’t speak their names, hear their names. It hurt. Her body hurt. She hurt. Her mind hurt. In the end she knew only one thing for sure, the five vampires Tori talked about every day were bad.** _ **

**_**Monsters.** _ **

**_**Monsters who played her.** _ **

**_**Monsters who were responsible.** _ **

**_**Monsters who had abandoned her.** _ **

**_**Monsters who had used her.** _ **

**_**Monsters who had lied to her.** _ **

**_**Monsters who had left her.** _ **

**_**Monsters who had taken Tori’s mate.** _ **

**_**Monsters who had ruined her life.** _ **

**_**Monsters who she hated.** _ **

**_**Monsters who she feared.** _ **

**_**Monsters who she blamed.** _ **

**_**Monsters.** _ **

**_**She didn’t know how long it had been. She had lost track of the months after that first day she seen the pictures of her monsters. But now? Now, she lay there. Broken and bloody, whispering to herself about monsters as Tori whispered forbidden names in her ear. Ensuring her reaction was everything she wished it to be before she was being carried. She didn’t know who or why but she didn’t care. Not anymore. Anything that wasn’t pain she welcomed. Anything that wasn’t the monsters that haunted her awake or asleep. Before she knew it she was being laid down again, but she didn’t open her eyes. She didn’t care too.** _ **

**_**“You’re safe now. They’ll find you here, your mate will find you here. I’m so sorry,” It wasn’t Tori. Where was Tori? She’d be awfully upset if she knew she was allowed out of her cell. Soft rain hit her cheeks and she breathed deeply, she didn’t know where she was or what was going on but she wouldn’t move. She knew better, this was a trick. A trap. A set up. A game, the monsters would find her if she moved. They would find her if she dared to leave Tori’s side. Who would protect her from them without Tori?** _ **

**_**Her body hurt anyway she wasn’t sure she could move. Everything always hurt, she had gotten used to Tori’s games but they still hurt. They were still hard. She knew it was her own good, she was just protecting her. Ensuring she was aware of the monsters, but that didn’t make it hurt her any less. She heard someone skid beside and she was wrapped into a Jacket. It couldn’t have been Tori, Tori would never wrap her in anything first. She liked her shirtless.** _ **

**_**She forced her eyes open and came face to face with the most breathtaking vampire she had ever seen in her entire life, and she had seen plenty of vampires up until this point. She was looking at her with the most gentle eyes, and she couldn’t even find it in herself to panic at the fact they were golden. She was holding her, rocking her, soothing her and she welcomed it. She wanted it, she needed it. She grabbed her shirt, she didn’t want her to take her back to Tori or to disappear. What if the monsters found her? How did she knew this woman before her would protect her? It was in her chest, a warmth, a pull, a need she didn’t understand at first.** _ **

**_**Your mate will find you, was this her mate? Was this what finding your mate felt like? She couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore, she was so tired but she wouldn’t sleep. She wasn’t allowed to sleep until Tori told her it was okay. Until Tori was done warning her about the monsters, would this vampire do that for her?** _ **

* * *

Isa slowly pulled out of their minds as she finished sharing her memories, and didn’t look up in fear of what she would see. Her monsters were here, but so was her mate. She would be okay as long as she had her mate, right?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little shorter than my last one but I had to end it here so next chapter could be all about Charlie meeting Kate and seeing Isa for the first time since she was taken

Silence. An extremely tense, silence while all the vampires in the clearing stared with horrified eyes at the young human who was still looking down at her lap. What could they say? What would help? How could they even begin to fix this? Kate’s own terror threatened to swallow Jasper whole and he could only sympathize with her, he had no idea how he would handle it if he ever found out his mate had been through that at the hand of another.

Kate opened her mouth but no sound came out, so she closed it again, only for it to reopen and close twice more. She wanted to find the one responsible and rip her to shreds, she wanted to take her mate as far away as she could get her from everyone, she wanted to scream and cry and go back in time to before she was ever taken but she couldn’t. She wanted to search harder, find her sooner, kill everyone who had a hand in the torture and rape of her beautiful brunette.

She pulled her human against her, non too gently, and buried her face in her chestnut hair, Isa only wrapping her arms around her neck in response. She inhaled deep desperate breaths of her strawberry and vanilla scent as the reality of the situation hit her, “I’m sorry,” She gasped out, “I’m-” She shook her head desperately trying to clear the fog of devastation that was threatening to tear her apart inside, “Oh god,” She breathed, tears in her eyes that would never fall and she gripped her human tighter, “I’m - god - I’m so so sorry baby,” her body was shaking but she wasn’t sure if it was anger or horror…maybe both.

_It isn’t your fault._

Isa told her gently, running her fingers through her hair, and she wondered how this turned into the girl comforting her instead of the other way around. It was true, she knew that, but this was her mate. Her beautiful sweet human who didn’t deserve a single thing she had went through and she wasn’t there to protect her. She’d never fail her like that again, never. Even if it was protecting her from her own family.

Isa for her part, was content to hold Kate with her eyes closed as she waited for everyone around her to digest the information. Maybe she should have given it to them in pieces instead of all at once? She had said she was sorry at least. Kate was shaking in her arms and she knew her vampire was upset. She just didn’t know how to fix that.

“Isa..” She heard and it was a tortured whisper from Rosalie. She looked up and her eyes widened at the pain that was in her eyes, was that for her? She lowered her shield immediately, reaching a hand out to the blonde. She couldn’t leave Kate’s arms, even if she wanted too which she didn’t but she wanted to help her new…friend?

Rosalie was next to her in the blink of an eye, and her hands were holding her own in a vice like grip. Kate had stiffened at the sudden intrusion but she wasn’t growling so Isa took that as a good sign. She risked a glance at Tanya and Irina and saw they each had their own tears that couldn’t fall. She didn’t mean to make everyone sad.

_I’m sorry.._

Kate pulled back immediately, “What are you sorry for darling?” She cupped Isa’s cheeks, forcing the girl to hold eye contact.

_I didn’t mean to make everyone so sad._

“No,” Rosalie’s voice was firm, but her eyes were gentle, “Don’t you dare apologize. I’m sorry. I’m sorry that we didn’t find you in time. I’m sorry that you had to… that she…” She looked like she couldn’t finish and Isa thought she understood. She looked at Kate who nodded tensely before she pulled the blonde into a hug of her own. She wasn’t uncomfortable being shirtless anymore, she was used to being this way. No privacy, of people seeing her and touching her like this. Rosalie accepted the embrace gratefully.

_I’m sorry I can’t give that to you.._ Isa told her mate, it was one of her biggest regrets. Maybe it would change things, maybe her mate wouldn’t want her without her virginity.

“I don’t care about that sweetheart,” Kate told her softly, wiping a tear from her eye, “You are perfect just the way you are.”

She looked into her golden eyes and saw nothing but sincerity there and she smiled gratefully at her before her smile faltered, _Will you protect me from the monsters now that Tori is gone?_

She wasn’t looking so she didn’t see the way the Cullens had all flinched at the word unaware she was still projecting to the entire yard.

Alice’s eyes had lost any light that was left in them, as she dry sobbed in Jasper’s arms, her cries muffled against his chest. She couldn’t get her sisters screams out of her head, the anger, the pain and the blame that were all rightfully placed. She had left and then she had failed to find her. Guilt was so heavy on her heart that she was clutching at her chest, her heart may not beat but it hurt. It hurt so much she wanted to rip it out of her and offer it to the girl.

Emmett was staring with lost eyes at his wife, who he knew would break down the minute they were alone. What Isa suffered was horrifying and hit too close to home for his Rosie. He couldn’t bring himself to look at his human sister who was now afraid of him. Who thought of him as a monster, who wanted protection _from_ him instead of wanting him to protect her.

Carlisle was holding Esme in a similar position as Alice and Jasper. Her own guilt consuming her, she had never wanted to leave her human child. She had allowed them to talk her into it and instead of listening to her heart she had listened to Edward and her child had paid the price. A horrible awful price that she could never take back, she could never replace that experience or take that pain. Maybe they really were monsters. 

Carlisle was in a similar mind as he stared at his son. Who he knew would take what happened on himself. Would hold all the blame that laid with them all and not just himself. He knew they had been blaming him, even if unintentionally, they couldn’t always help what they thought but now? He knew better than anyone that Edward would feel that word was true. That this was proof they were the monsters he always believed them to be. He feared for what that meant.

Edward wasn’t fairing better, he was looking with poorly concealed sorrow at the girl held by his cousin. The girl who hadn’t spared a glance in his direction, who used to look at him like he hung the moon from the stars. The girl who used to worship the ground he walked on now knew him for the monster he truly was. He had only wanted to protect her and he had damned her to a fate worse than death. This was his fault, his family was paying the price for his mistake. His arrogance. His selfishness.

“I will always protect you,” Kate told her mate, holding back the snarl she wanted to release as the name of the true monster who had hurt her mate was spoken. Victoria would die a horrible painful death if Kate ever got her hands on the red head, she would promise that to the girl if she thought it would help her.

Rosalie pulled back suddenly and stood, wiping her eyes and sniffing once before she looked towards the tree line, “I just…” She looked down at the human briefly, who was looking at up her before her eyes moved back, “I need to hunt,” and with that she took off, and she knew her husband would follow her without her needing to turn around and confirm it.

All of them knew Rosalie hadn’t needed to hunt, but no one said anything. The only one who didn’t understand what happened was Isa and if Rosalie wanted to tell her then she would in her own time.

“How about we call your father?” Kate suggested, she wanted to get her mate away from the others, the manipulation and conditioning performed by Victoria ran deep and if Isa was to ever trust or look at her cousins again it would take time and patience.

_Will we have to be apart?_

Even though Kate couldn’t hear her voice she could hear how sad the thought made Isa, and she placed soft kisses across her face in assurance, “For a little while, your father doesn’t know about any of this but as soon as possible we’ll be together again.”

Kate stood prepared to pick her mate up and carry her in the house when she froze, she smelled them long before she saw them.

“The wolves,” She heard Carlisle whisper and she bristled. The Wolves were coming and she knew it had to do with her mate. She just couldn’t catch a break today. Isa felt Kate tense and buried her face in her neck, she was starting to regret leaving the room upstairs.

_What’s wrong?_

“The wolves are coming,” Kate spoke low in her mates ear,

_Wolves?_

Isa had never heard of any wolves. Before she was taken she was positive there were no wolves in or around forks. What kind of supernatural town did she stumble in exactly?

Kate nodded once, “From the reservation,”

Before Isa could comment, ten large horse sized wolves pulled up into the back lawn, spewing grass and dirt under their paws. Jasper growled, moving to stand next to Kate, far enough so he wouldn’t seem like a threat but close enough to help protect their human if it was needed. The other Cullens, wisely chose to stay back so as not to upset Isa.

The largest wolf, a black one disappeared behind a tree before he phased and stepped forward, “The girl can come with us now,” he spoke looking at the human cradled in the blonde vampires arms.

“She’ll be going nowhere,” Kate hissed at them pulling Isa as close as her mates body could possibly get. It wasn’t much closer but it helped Kate’s beast calm none the less. Irina disappeared and reappeared with a blanket quickly draping it over Isa’s shoulders and receiving a grateful smile before standing in front of them with Tanya and Jasper.

“We are taking her to her father,” Sam explained, and the wolves stepped closer in support of their alpha until he raised his hand signaling them to back off. One in particular, a large russet wolf was looking at Isa with sad eyes, not that she could see it since her face was still tucked into Kate’s neck.

“We will take her to see her father, and then she can decide what she wants to do from there,” Tanya spoke, her voice was not unkind nor was it dripping with attitude like Kate’s, but it was clear she meant business. The wolves all snarled at her, until once again Sam held up his hand attempting to silence them, but it was Isa who pulled a growl of her own from Kate that stunned them into silence causing smug smiles to appear on the vampires faces. It was clear Isa didn’t appreciate the disrespect the wolves were showing. The russet wolf took off behind the trees and then came out in a pair of shorts.

“It’s me, it’s Jake. You can come with us now, we’ll protect you, Bell-.” Jacob began to plead only to be cut off by Kate,

“Don’t call her that Dog,” She snarled, feeling Isa tense when he started to call her the forbidden nickname.

“It’s her name bloodsucker!” He growled, taking a step forward.

“She prefers Isa or Isabella now, she doesn’t respond well to Bella,” Tanya explained, placing an apologetic hand on Isa’s arm when she saw her flinch,

“What did you do to her?” He demanded,

“We have done nothing,” Irina snarled in warning crouching along with Jasper,

“She’s been through a lot, she belongs with her mate,” He told them, rolling his sleeves up to show his scars. He was ashamed of how he got them, but proud of the fact that it shows he is a force to be reckoned with.

“Mate?” Jacob spit out between gritted teeth, “That leech isn’t her mate! He left her!” His entire body was shaking and he was panting.

“Jacob, stand down!” Sam commanded but Jake didn’t listen to him, continuing to stare with enraged eyes at Edward who was sitting staring at Isa in Kate’s arms.

“You don’t want to do that so close to her Jacob Black,” Jasper snarled, “Use your brain and see which one of us is her mate!”

That got his attention. He stopped shaking long enough to look closely at the situation and his brows furrowed, “The blonde le-”

Before he got the word out a snarl ripped out of Isa’s throat. _Her name is Kate!_

She yelled out in all of their heads, she was sick of them disrespecting the people who were protecting her. Who did they think they were?

“What the hell?” Jake yelled looking with wide eyes at the girl he used to know

“You’re her mate?” Sam asked, ignoring Jake. He was just as surprised as the rest of them but he was used to the voices in his head.

Kate nodded once, placing a kiss on Isa’s temple with a smirk. Her mate defended her not once, but twice and Kate would be lying if she said she didn’t find the display incredibly hot.

“When she visits La push you are free to accompany her, only you.” Sam spoke looking Kate in the eye who couldn’t hide her surprise.

“Sam you can’t be -” Jake started but Sam cut him off,

“It’s clear that she is yours as you are hers and while there are people who want to see that she is okay on the reservation, I wouldn’t allow my enemy around my imprint without me. Besides it doesn’t look like she’s willing to let you go,” He chuckled, “Charlie comes to the reservation often and he used to bring her along, I don’t know what living arrangements you will have but I’m sure he’ll want Bella to come more often than not. This way she is comfortable with us and you don’t have to break the treaty to ensure her safety,”

“Thank you,” Kate spoke earnestly, she didn’t expect that from the wolves. Especially not the alpha although it was clear not all of them were on board with his offer.

“Isabella,” Seth ran out from behind the trees after a nod from Sam and was similar to Jacob wearing only a pair of shorts. Isa turned slowly in Kate’s arms ensuring they stayed wrapped around her and smiled when she saw Seth.

_Since when are you a wolf little brother?_

He took slow steps forward, eyeing the vampires while he did so, “Since you went missing, Leah and I changed not long after.”

“Brother?” Kate asked eyeing the boy,

“Our parents are engaged,” Seth explained, “I never thought I’d see you again,” His voice came out shaky and he reached a hesitant hand out only to let it fall, “Can I hug you?”

Isa looked up at Kate who shook her head, “Whatever you want to do, darling,” Kate told her with a reassuring squeeze,

Isa took a deep breathe and pulled out of Kates arms before she was snatched up by Seth, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and buried his face in her hair. She was tense at first, her heart pounding in her chest. The contact clearly made her uncomfortable but after Kate placed her hand on the small of her back, reminding her she was there, she relaxed and hugged him back.

_Where’s Leah?_

“She’s with Mom and Charlie, we weren’t sure if you were actually here and Mom needed her help, Do you wanna come see everyone?” He pulled back, taking three steps back when Isa stepped back into Kate and only untensed when Kate’s arms were around her waist again,

She looked torn, _I don’t want to leave Kate._ She wanted to see her dad and her sister and her mother in law but she couldn’t imagine leaving Kate. Kate could protect her from the monsters, and what if Kate needed her shield? How could she knew when she was so far away.

“Bring her with,” He shrugged,

_But.._

“But what love?” Kate asked, turning Isa so they were making eye contact,

_What if the monsters come and we aren’t here? What if Tanya or Irina need my shield?_

“I appreciate how concerned you are little one,” Tanya told her, stepping closer and brushing some hair away from her face, “But Irina and I can protect ourselves until you and Kate come if need be. We will call you immediately if anything happens,”

Isa looked between Irina and Tanya as if judging their sincerity, _Promise?_

“We promise,” Irina told her with a bop on her nose, producing a giggle from the human. She loved how protective the girl was of them and her sister. She made an excellent mate already.

“Monsters?” Jacob spoke up, “Are we all just going to ignore that?”

“Not now..” Tanya told him with a shake of her head, he clearly wanted to argue but chose not too.

“Alright, time to meet the parents.” Seth jumped up and down rubbing his hands together with a sly grin in Kate’s direction who looked a little faint at the idea.

“Good luck Kate,” Irina teased her sister and got a withering glare in return, Kate had never had to meet the parents before.

“You’ll do fine, and if her father tries to shoot you at least you’re bullet proof,” Tanya added unhelpfully, trying to hide her own smile before she followed Irina and Jasper into the Cullen’s house. Leaving a gaping Kate behind.


End file.
